Mich. police purchase 20 microphones for in-car video

By Mark Tower
MLive

SAGINAW, Mich. — Faulty video and audio recording equipment was exposed publicly as a problem at the Saginaw Police Department in the wake of the July 1 fatal shooting of Milton Hall, a local homeless man, by city officers.

More than eight months after Hall's death, the department is still addressing equipment issues brought to light by the criminal investigation, which resulted in no charges being filed against any of the officers involved.

Saginaw City Council on Monday, March 18, approved a $5,900 expenditure for 20 on-body microphones that collect audio for the department's in-car video cameras. The technology dealer, Kustom Signals Inc., recently told the city that they provide a higher-quality microphone than the ones sold to Saginaw with the in-car cameras. The company agreed to upgrade the city's microphones at the cost of lower-grade technology.